Mitigating Drought

 Mitigation Tools for States

 Fish/Wildlife Preservation

Specific actions taken by states:

Impact assessment actions

• Estimate short- and long-term losses to public land/assess impacts
• Recommend/estimate costs of implementing programs
• Reporting
• Evaluate impact on water rights/water releases
• Assess alternatives to instream flow
• Assess fish/fishery resources
• Assessment of needs
• Determine susceptibility to dewatering
• Establish intergovernmental dialogue regarding wildlife
• Identify major vulnerable areas of concern
• Monitor water quality to determine effects on fish and wildlife

Response programs

• Activate instream rights/programs to allow instream flows
• Implement drought assistance programs
• Grants/loans
• Modify hunting season/fishing regulations
• Actions to reduce depravation of livestock forage/water quality
• Identify resources uses/needs
• Prevent fish harvesting exploitation/fish loss due to diversions
• Disseminate funds from sale of fishing and hunting licenses
• Employ agriculture to enhance status of nongame species of fish
• Encourage use of permanent, less destructive water diversions
• Install temporary gauges to monitor streamflow
• Modify hatchery water delivery system to solve water quality problems
• Provide food and water for drought-stressed wildlife
• Recommend response levels and activities
• Request voluntary reduction of pollutant to minimize wastewater
• Set priorities/new compliance dates for environmental regulations
• Temporarily halt fish stocking programs/hatchery production
• Use fish from hatcheries to stock habitats

Mitigation programs

• Enact policy to increase/protect instream flows/wetlands
• Help develop drought plans to minimize fish and wildlife impacts
• Identify sensitive facilities or habitats/improve security of water supply
• Cost-share improvements in fisheries/habitat
• Develop alternative water supplies for lakes and streams
• Develop mitigation and response alternatives
• Investigate effects of alternative hunting seasons
• Monitor stream dewatering/fish habitats and effects of streamflow
• Revise regional drought monitoring/action reporting system

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